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Remember how BB was experimenting with the 'Big Nickel' defense in previous years? I think we have some solid safeties now in Chung, Sanders, and Meriweather. BUT I don't think we will extend Meriweather for a big $$ contract. Therefore it's never too early to start developing safeties. Especially in a league that has become dominated by the passing game.

The guy I am contemplating is Kenny Tate. 6'4 220lbs.
Tackles like a SS, covers like a FS. This guy could be the complete package for us. And the dude is as tall as Brian Urlacher and you saw how much of a problem he posed in coverage in the Chicago game. Throwing over Tate is gonna be a tough play! What Tate would also provide us is a guy who can match up with taller receivers in the red zone if necessary. Right now most of our DBs are shorter guys 6' and under. Thoughts? I'm thinking if he comes out, he would make a great pick at #33. Just too much value to pass up at a position that could make an impact for us.

Remember how BB was experimenting with the 'Big Nickel' defense in previous years? I think we have some solid safeties now in Chung, Sanders, and Meriweather. BUT I don't think we will extend Meriweather for a big $$ contract. Therefore it's never too early to start developing safeties. Especially in a league that has become dominated by the passing game.

The guy I am contemplating is Kenny Tate. 6'4 220lbs.
Tackles like a SS, covers like a FS. This guy could be the complete package for us. And the dude is as tall as Brian Urlacher and you saw how much of a problem he posed in coverage in the Greenbay game. Throwing over Tate is gonna be a tough play! What Tate would also provide us is a guy who can match up with taller receivers in the red zone if necessary. Right now most of our DBs are shorter guys 6' and under. Thoughts? I'm thinking if he comes out, he would make a great pick at #33. Just too much value to pass up at a position that could make an impact for us.

Wow, great minds think alike. Do you really think Tate will go as early as 17? I think he could be an impact player for us but that seems kinda early for a safety.

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It is early, though 2 safeties went before #17 last year and both teams ended up happy.

I'm guessing the likes of Fairley and Dareus and Peterson are long gone. If Tate looks as good as I think he will through the post-season process, he's a potential swiss army knife who could help make the defense not just better, but more unpredictable. There aren't a lot of guys who are legit in coverage but also perfect candidates for the Tank Williams LB role.

So the more I thought about it, the more I liked treating #17 as a luxury pick, an opportunity to get somebody who could be special almost regardless of position. (Almost.) Pairing Tate with a guy like Wilkerson at 32 looked like a good value balance.

Until next week, at least, when I change my mind completely. Isn't that what January is for?

I'm presuming that the safety we're looking for to replace Meriweather needs to be good deep cover guy and that it would be very helpful if he's tall and tackles well. Maybe Kenny Tate is the guy (he HAS declared, BTW). Just as an off the wall suggestion, how about Jimmy Smith out of Colorado? He's a 6'2"/210lb CB who apparently tackles very well. And he may be a bit cheaper - mid to late 2nd.

A really interesting safety to look at is Deunta Williams from UNC. He has a ton of talent and even after a down year on a decimated UNC team, he had a mid second round value. But after recently breaking his leg in the Music City Bowl he may miss part or all of the pre draft activities. If this causes his stock to slide into the mid 3rd round I would jump all over him. He's a ballhawk and would be great paired with Chung for the next decade.

I've seen him play a few times and have been very impressed. I love watching him play. He lines up all over the field - CB, S, in the box. Great tackler, very good instincts. "Tackles like a SS, covers like a FS" sums it up well. They use him in the blitz game too, but he could use some work in that area.

He's just a playmaker - he's all over the field forcing fumbles, making tackles for losses, picking balls off. Love his size and he can lay the lumber when he needs to, but he's a much surer tackler than Meriweather. He could be that centerfielder we've been looking for in the secondary to ball hawk and make big plays. Aside from his playmaking, the best things about him are his instincts, pursuit/angles, and his ability to actually diagnose a play, get where he needs to go, and wrap up the ball carrier - something we all wish Meriweather could do better.

I'd definitely take this guy at #33 and with our late first rounder (hopefully 32), but I don't know if I'd take him as high as 17 yet.

McGowan and Page are no sure bets to be back, and we've loved to use a third safety in our sub packages on defense this year. He's the complete package at safety, and he's one of my binkies.

I also like Ras-I Dowling, who is projected to slide to the 2nd, as a big corner/psuedo safety in a similar mold to Sean Smith on Utah. I'd love to have a guy with that size and speed combo who can be used to play press coverage vs WR's like V-Jax, Marshall, Andre, Moss, etc., and who can also be used to cover good receiving tight ends like Dallas Clark and Gates.

I think Dowling could be a nice "weapon" for this defense with his ability to match up with certain guys who could be troublesome to cover. If he can't hold up at corner consistently, he definitely has the ball skills, physicality, and tackling ability to play free safety. I wanted Sean Smith back in 2009 for those reasons.

So the more I thought about it, the more I liked treating #17 as a luxury pick, an opportunity to get somebody who could be special almost regardless of position. (Almost.) Pairing Tate with a guy like Wilkerson at 32 looked like a good value balance.

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I totally agree. Right now I'm on board with Tate at 17 (or there abouts) and Wilkerson at 32 or 33.

I think 17 is too high for Tate. A lot of people see him as a 2nd-3rd round prospect. I'd take him toward the end of the 1st or early second. My dream:

17. Aldon Smith
32. Kenny Tate
33. Muhammad Wilkerson

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I don't think it's necessarily too high for Tate, but it's too high for us to draft a safety. It does seem like a pick that BB would make though, leaving me scratching my head as to why he didn't draft a DL, OL, or OLB.

I don't think it's necessarily too high for Tate, but it's too high for us to draft a safety. It does seem like a pick that BB would make though, leaving me scratching my head as to why he didn't draft a DL, OL, or OLB.

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Ochmed had a nifty idea in another thread to package #33 with a 3rd to get back into the first round, potentially in the 20s. That could give us a DL/OLB, pick up Tate, and still leave #32 as well as two 2nds and a 3rd.

I think re-signing McGowan wouldn't cost much, but Chung seems to have taken over that cover safety role. With Meriweather likely gone after next season, Tate could be his projected replacement.

I'm not sold on Tate yet. From what I've seen he is moved around a lot to take advantage of an athleticism gap that won't exist at the next level. I've seen him lineup as a rush backer, play the slot, and both safety positions. He's got good burst and closing speed, can pop, and has decent ball skills. There is no questioning his athleticism.

I have, however, seen him consistently placed in freelance or single assignment situations. He looks spectacular because of his athleticism ala Polamalu. However, he doesn't give off that field general vibe that I'd want in my other safety. I don't think that he is the master of his scheme because that hasn't been his job. It seems to me that he would far more NFL ready with an extra year.

As he looks to me right now, he is a special teams stud immediately with a year or two of learning to go. Given the depth at safety, that makes a lot of sense, but he is nowhere near polished enough to warrant a 1st rounder. A late second or high third? Sure, but not a 1st.